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Real members of MyBCTeam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.
July 13, 2025
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MyBCTeam

Getting a port offers several key advantages over regular vein injections:

• Reduces risk of skin irritation from medications
• Prevents multiple needle sticks if you have hard-to-find veins
• Lowers risk of lymphedema, especially important if you've had lymph nodes removed
• Can be used for multiple purposes like blood Show Full Answer

Getting a port offers several key advantages over regular vein injections:

• Reduces risk of skin irritation from medications
• Prevents multiple needle sticks if you have hard-to-find veins
• Lowers risk of lymphedema, especially important if you've had lymph nodes removed
• Can be used for multiple purposes like blood draws and imaging scans The port placement is a relatively quick outpatient procedure, typically taking about 45 minutes. While you may experience some initial soreness and bruising, recovery is generally easy with discomfort usually resolving within a couple of days.

Many breast cancer patients have reported that their port made treatment much more manageable, with one describing it as a "godsend" and "magic doorway" for protecting their arms during treatment.

July 13, 2025
A MyBCTeam Member

If you are only getting Herceptin, it comes in a shot form. I think called Hylecta.

July 13, 2025
A MyBCTeam Member

Very interesting. I hadn’t heard of Herceptin injections, only infusions. I’ll ask my oncologist about that. Thanks so much!

July 13, 2025
A MyBCTeam Member

Amy, I am also HER2+, and started my chemo (which included Herceptin) without the port. The chemo drugs were too harsh on my veins, and so after the 4th infusion I had the port installed. Having done chemo both ways- the port was worth any initial discomfort in having it placed.

If you have already finished chemo, and are moving to just the targeted therapy of Herceptin, you may want to consider the injection. It is faster, and I would assume since you are not using all the services, and equipment for infusion, it may be less expensive. Mine was done all by infusion, but if the outcomes are the same, I would have gladly gone with the injection. At the time I started chemo (Jan 2019) the injection had only gotten FDA approval a few months before.

July 13, 2025

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